How do I know if I am getting a good house?

Different people's needs and expectations for a house may be very different. No one should have to live in a poor quality house, but you may want to pay more to get higher standards and amenities, or pay less for something more basic.

Some things to think about:

• Do you want better amenities - A larger cooker, a dishwasher for example.
• Do you want extras provided like a television?
• What size rooms do you want?
• How much seperate living space do you need - do you need a seperate living room, or a room that can be used as a study?
• Do you want a garden?
• Do you mid if the house looks a little dated, or do you want more modern decor and furnishings?

How do I check the property?

It might be helpful to make a list of things to look for, and things that you want. Work methodically through the property checking each room. Check how it looks, how if feels to you in terms of the size, layout, check things work, and check for any disrepair.

How do I know if the house is in good condition?

When you check a property, be critical. While many minor issues may all seem small themselves, a property with lots of smaller faults, even if these seem easy to fix) can indicate the property simply has not been cared for, or the landlord is not good at getting things sorted out.

Check for bigger issues. While any property can have problems occur which are not necessarily the sign of poor ongoing maintenance (for example if slates come loose in high winds) things like this can take time and be disruptive to fix.

• Check for damp and mould. Are there wet patches, staining, signs of mould on the walls or ceilings? Does the property smell damp or musty? Take special note in any rooms below ground level.
• Can you ventilate the property - bathrooms and kitchens (especially if there's no window) should have an extractor fan.  
• Do the floors feel sound? Are there loose floorboards?
• Are there any signs of leaks from the plumbing or radiators, such as rust round the joints of pipes?
• Do the window frames look secure? Is there condensation between the panes on double glazing? Do the catches and locks work?
• Are the external doors secure?
• Does the heating work - don't be afraid to ask to check this.
• Does the shower and hot water work, and is the pressure reasonable?
• Are the internal doors sound and close fitting, where these are fire doors.
• Is there a smoke detector on every floor (and in a house of 5 bedrooms or more is this hard wired to the mains).
• Do the sockets look safe with no sign of burning, and is there a modern electrical consumer unit that looks safe?
• Are the furniture and fittings clean and in good repair?
• Is the garden tidy and do the drains look ok (check for bad smells, or signs of flooding).
• Do the roof and gutters look in good repair?
• Is the street tidy and well lit?

It is always worth asking the current tenants, ideally when the Landlord is not there, whether they have had any problems.

What can I do if there are problems?

If there are problems, the first thing to do is speak to the Landlord. For example if there is staining on a ceiling that looks like a shower has leaked ask to see a report from the plumber showing it is fixed.

If there are minor issues and you still want the house, make sure that anything that needs doing is written into the contract with a completion date, and an agreed action or level of compensation if it is not done on time.

If there are major repairs, think very carefully before taking the house.  Even if the Landlord promises to to do the work (and really means it) things can go wrong and if this is something like installing a new bathroom, this could leave you is a difficult situation.

If your house is not rteady when you move in you can read about what you can do here.